Monday, February 23, 2009

We just sent in our paperwork for this year's CSA season. We had such a great experience last year with Harmony Valley Farm, they've allowed us to try many new things & learn to eat much more seasonably.box #11For those of you who aren't familiar with it, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, you pay for a "share" in a farm in your area & you receive a portion of what they grow. Most farms allow you to receive a whole or half box or in the case of our farm we have a half share where we get a whole box every other week. There is a little risk in that just like the farmer you are dependent on Mother Nature. Our farm has flooded the last two years & some crops were lost but we still feel like we really got our moneys worth.box #6For those of you in colder climates, like here in Minnesota, now is the time to sign up for this year's share. If you are looking for a CSA in your area, or even just a Farmer's Market, I recommend Local Harvest which allows you to search by your zip code. Many farms offer shares in things other than vegetables. Our farm also offers meat, coffee, fruit & cheese.

I've been reading a lot about CSA's. I'm still trying to decide. You are definitely the one who sparked my interest in them.

I'm concerned about spending $650 for produce...what if we don't like it, what if I feel the quality isn't there? What if it's heavily bruised? Those are the kinds of things I'm pondering. It's a very intriguing concept though.

THe only CSA here is about 45 minutes from our house. I think for now, until other farmers get involved I will stick tot he Farmers Market in our community with local farmers. I so wanted to do the CSA but it just is not advantagous for us.

I've been unsure what to do. I've been unhappy with my winter CSA, and don't know if that's because I should have lower expectations since it is winter, or if I just am picky enough I need to select my own produce. I've gotten too many onions just off and potatoes with too much green under the skin.

In summer, I have the advantage of occasionally being able to get to a farm directly, and pick what is freshest, so think I will be sticking with that.

We used to belong to a CSA here in Boston, but we didn't have a great experience and now my husband is really put off the idea of farm shares. I can't wait for the farmer's market to start up again, though. It's so nice to have access to so many different vegetables that never get sold in the regular supermarket!

I searched the Local Harvest link and the number of CSAs in and around my area is overwhelming. I love the idea of having a weekly delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables delivered to your door. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me at this time, but we do have a lovely farmer's market in Union Square on Saturdays, so I am going to start frequenting that more often. By the way, this is my first time leaving a comment, but I come to your blog on an almost daily basis, just to salivate over the wonderful dishes you make!! I'm going to pick something out and try it tonight for my boyfriend! He's a chef, but loves home-cooked meals, so I'll let you know how it turns out!